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<p><a href="ChimooTimerHelp.html">Chimoo Timer Help Index</a></p>
<h1>Speech</h1>

<h2>Text-To-Speech</h2>
<p>The built in Mac OS X text-to-speech system can be used to read the time at a given interval, speak each second, read an alert when a count down timer expires, or announce the elapsed time on demand. A custom voice and speaking rate can be chosen separately from the system wide default.  These options can be set up in the Preferences.</p>

<h2>Speech Recognition</h2>
<p>Speech recognition allows you to control Chimoo Timer with your voice.  To enable speech recognition, check the appropriate box in the "Advanced" tab of the  Preferences. Your choice will be remembered next time you launch Chimoo Timer.</p>


<p>If you have never used speech recognition on Mac OS X before, it is highly recommended that you learn how to use it first; <a href="http://www.chimoosoft.com/articles/speech.php">an article about speech recognition</a> is available on our web page.  Open your System Preferences and choose the "Speech" pane, then click on the "Speech Recognition" tab.  Calibrate your microphone (built in to most Macs) and view the "Helpful Tips..." under the "Commands" tab.  Once you have gotten speech recognition working here, you can try controlling Chimoo Timer.  <em>Note that it is <strong>not</strong> necessary to have Speakable Items enabled to use Chimoo Timer's speech recognition - it will work either way.</em>

<h3>Chimoo timer responds to the following words and phrases:</h3>

<dl>
<dt>Start timer</dt>
<dd>Starts the timer if it wasn’t running.</dd>
<dt>Stop timer</dt>
<dd>Stops the timer if it was running.</dd>
<dt>Reset timer</dt>
<dd>Resets the timer.</dd>
<dt>Current value / Speak time</dt>
<dd>Reads the current timer value.</dd>
<dt>Log time</dt>
<dd>Logs the current time and timer value to the log in the main drawer.</dd>
<dt>Open preferences</dt>
<dd>Opens the Chimoo Timer preferences.</dd>
<dt>Switch to count down mode</dt>
<dd>Toggles the mode; only available if already in count up mode.</dd>
<dt>Switch to count up mode</dt>
<dd>Toggles the mode; only available if already in count down mode.</dd>
<dt>Disable speech recognition</dt>
<dd>Turns speech recognition off.</dd>
</dl>
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<h3>Troubleshooting</h3>
<p>Make sure you can use the built in Speakable Items (see paragraph above) first.  You should be in a quiet environment without any traffic noise, music, office noise, or screaming children.  ;-)</p>

<p>If Chimoo Timer itself is making too much noise, it will interfere with speech recognition. For best results, turn off the speak seconds option, and don't have Chimoo Timer beep on each second.  If you have the speak seconds on interval option selected, make sure the interval is long enough so you have a chance to give voice commands in between.</p>
	
<p>You may also have better results if you turn down the volume on your computer. If the volume is too loud, Chimoo Timer may “hear” itself speak and get confused.
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<p><a href="ChimooTimerHelp.html">Chimoo Timer Help Index</a></p>
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